Last week it was the calendar,)justice. And two quarts were as this week its the thermometer. At ast the thermometer is able to come into its own, and the mercury the particular one Lam thinking of, positively "swelling with self importance now that it has at last got something to register. With every glance it inerenses its height and for the past day or two it has gistered 90 degrees without the slightest difficulty. Adversity in the form of a fan (which it must be admitted is rather more ornamental than useful), and a breeze from South fail to daunt it; it rises with steady assurance "and with a Prospect of still better days to come.
Such are the ditions of at their Shanghai summer;—and this one, elated though it is, is already be:
inning to take its toll of the temand comfort of Shanghai-Of course, it is really at all this summer of ours. Lots of people can't imagine why 'We make such a fuss about it Tu India for" instance—as T was informed by an emmment authority on the subject the other day—they dress for dinner with the tempe ture' at 120 the Shade and think nothing of it, A couple of collars to change into the evening wears on and they ince like two year olds right into the early hours, Our little summer is like nothing to them; though I must say they do rather remind me of the proverbial Englishman who dresses for dinner on a desert island. Tt might be said... but we refuse to be drawn into an argument, still maintain that our Shanghai summer is uncomfortable; it. is sticky; the mosquitoes are awful, and (this is our trump card) remember, it is the humidity not the heat that counts Fire Works and Champagne It always seems to rain on July the Fourth, Of course, it would have been rather in the nature of a miracle if it hadn't this, Year considering the weather, but Still it seems unnecessary: for it to do s0 three years However, the dampness. wi the weather, and. the. tra led and exploded with their usual brilliance, One or two people remarked to mo with some surprise. that. they did not see any Americans cele brating the big day at the various dance places round the town that evening. There is probably more than one explanation, but the main reason was. that. almost the entire American community gathered at the Columbia Country Club for their -colebrations. ked at the skies ty, but fortunately no shower came to. spoll the. fire work display. I hear quite a number of people took their own fire. works to the Club; ip case, T suppose, the Club: might not have enough, for to, deprive an American of is. fair share of fire works on July 4 is a bad us depriving the Scotsman his haggis on November the 30th.
champagne, dancing: and a. well Joaded refreshment. table helped Keap tXe huge crowd of guests gay, and carefree till the early hours. of the morning., 'The yefteshments I hear, were wonderful, which I can well' believe having consistently over-oaten Whenever'l have happen-eto td myself in an Amevian lub.
The same applied to the, reception mid-day at the American Club According to a" Scotsman who evidently did full justice to the exeollont turkey and ham. And there by hangs a tale, It appears that one. of Shanghai's thirsty residents decided that the quickest and surest method of getting a drink in such escrowd was to make straight for the bar. "He edged his way there, and on arrival happened to notice that the "boy" was doing some rather suspicious, juggling with the champagne bottles. He was, fact, calmly placing two unopened quart bottles of champagne in the Smpty, bottle basket; whereupon the latter' was hurriedly taken off the. premises by.an attendant coolie, Well, it was foolish of hima to such tricks. in. full view ty man; he paid liberally for'his folly, for the incident wa: quickly reported to a mi American Club who investigated the matter and soon. brought. the ering Doy and his accomplice to mere drop in the bucket, for it was discovered that they had taken twelve bottles before they were actually caught!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.